Boston Restaurants

Mark Snyder Lexington Massachusetts Restaurant Guide

Boston is undoubtedly a world class restaurant city. Reviewing restaurants is a full time job and so at this time we won't be able to do it. What we can do is give you a little information on restaurant eating in general in Boston if you are new to the city or just visiting:

- TYPES: Like any major city, Boston has restaurants of all types from Nouvelle Cuisine, Italian, Asian and Asian Fusions. What Boston is relatively short on compared to other cities further west and south is Mexican and BBQ (or Tex Mex). We do have a few really good ones but we just don't have the quantity that other cities might of this genre. If I had to pick one genre which Boston has more than its fair share of, it would be Italian, no surprise given the city's large Italian continent.

- LOCATIONS: The Back Bay, particularly Boylston and Newbury Streets and near Copley have a large share of Steak Houses and big scene restaurants. The North End is wall to wall Southern Italian. The South End is chock full of trendy Nouvelle Cuisine including some really top drawer restaurants such as my favorite, Hammersley's and Stella. Growing in interest is South Boston which is newly developed mostly and has a few interesting restaurants choices due to the influx of new hotels and the new Boston Convention Center. Aura in the Seaport Hotel and the NO NAME RESTAURANT in the World Trade Center are both worth the visit (for completely different reasons!)

- PARKING - Almost without exception, Boston restaurant parking will involve either a valet (almost always its ULTIMATE VALET) or expensive self parking. The only restaurant in Boston which has a free parking lot is THE NO NAME RESTAURANT, a no-frills and not-updated-decor fresh out of the ocean seafood restaurant in S. Boston.

- PRICING - Eating out in Boston is expensive, pretty much like any major city.

- NATIVE NEW ENGLAND FOODS - Boston is known for seafood, no surprise considering its proximity to the sea. It is also well known for Lobster, being the closest major city to Maine where the world's best lobster is caught. I say this authoritative folks because I have tasted lobster in other parts of the world which claim to have a special lobster. None off them come close to New England lobster. Whether it is from Maine or Gloucester, the lobster here is the best in the world. HINT: Only buy hard shell lobster. Don't get wooed by the low price of soft shell. The meat is more rubbery and less robust. Fresh soft meat is found only in hard shell. Boston is also known for Clam Chowder.

- AMBIANCE - As with any major city, Boston restaurants are trendy but overall fairly casual. Very few restaurants would ever require a jacket (The Palm is the only one I can think of) and jeans are pretty ubiquitous. But urbanites do always dress up, and so as long as what you are wearing is nice and clean, it should be fine.

For really good restaurant reviews and updates to local restaurants, both in Boston and in the suburbs, pick up a copy of Boston Magazine. Local area restaurants are reviewed monthly and there is always an updated list of the major eateries in the back.